MH-227 Neotropic - White RabbitsAfter a string of successful releases for Ninja Tune's Ntone imprint, Neotropic makes her Mush debut with her finest work to date: White Rabbits. Utilizing collaborative live performances from a number of talented guest musicians on a bed of sparse programming, Neotropic has crafted a release that is a continuation of her migration toward warm, minimal, acoustically grounded compositions. Her blend of environmental audio and rhythms document many moods and transitions. Piano lines and strings drift above fragile drum loops, an unassuming guitar strum slowly develops into a moving body of instruments, and sporadic vocals muse on the difficulty of finding and maintaining love.

Listening to White Rabbits by Riz Maslen (aka Neotropic) one is tempted to identify the gentle mix of acoustic piano, thin fragile beats, and electronic filigree as the work of feminine creativity, but that would be selling it short. Music is music, regardless of the musician's gender. On White Rabbits, Neotropic creates an absorbing ambient cinematica with folk and hip-hop flourishes. Perhaps the defining features here are the gentle piano melodies that weave in and out of the acoustic/electronic watercolor wash of sound. Maslen occasionally lends her voice to tracks, but not without electronic tampering. The tempo is generally very slow, but occasionally picks up a bit. Things get abstract at times, leaving the listener wondering when the lovely fragile melodies may return. Aside from a couple of unsettling passages, the overall listening experience is like a serene canoe ride through fog and a light rain. It's all rather mysterioso, but at least one doesn't descend into the proverbial rabbit hole to appreciate it. - Score Baby